ground | water

Image/Big Horn Sheep, Alan Myers.

By Emilee Wirshing

clay mineral rusts
the desert brush
an alchemy of iron & time,
when our rituals need sacrifice
we steep the knuckled twigs
of ephedra for tea, wander
bare ankled through fields
of jumping cholla.

mohave is a mouth left open,
an ocean dried of everything
but the armor of ancient cockles,
cupped for rainfall.
autumn is a red breath
a crook of petrified wood
twisted as if wrung out
for moisture.

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Double Down Blogger Image/Emilee Wirshing.

Emilee Wirshing is a librarian and lifelong Nevadan. She advocates for local poets and creativity by hosting various Poetry Open Mic Nights and writing workshops in the community. Her work appears in anthologies Clark, Legs of Tumbleweed, Wings of Lace, and Sandstone & Silver, along with various local and national literary magazines. Her chapbook, american dream houses was published in March of 2020 by Tolsun Books. Emilee’s typewriter poetry can be found on Instagram, @lavendertypewriter.

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